Many sport fishing boats are equipped with a plurality of fishing rod holders. The holders are usually mounted within the gunwales on either side of the boat or at the stern of the boat. The fishing rod holders generally include a tube inclined at an angle from the vertical toward the stern of the boat for receiving a fishing rod. The rod holder tube is generally either a full-sized senior fishing rod holder or a shorter junior fishing rod holder. Each holder contains a cross-pin near its distal end for engaging a slot on the end of the fishing rod handle. This cross-pin is intended to prevent rotation of the pole within the tube.
A mid-size fishing boat may have several fishing rod holders. If each fishing rod holder is used, it may become difficult to maneuver the boat without entangling the fishing lines, especially when the boat is turned. It is desirable, therefore, to have a system which maintains spatial separation between the fishing lines extending from the boat. Increased separation of the fishing lines provides more maneuverability and reduces the likelihood of the fishing lines becoming entangled.
In some trolling applications, it is desirable to utilize a number of fishing lines with the bait being maintained close to the surface of the water. These fishing lines are known as flat lines. The depth of the flat lines can be controlled by regulating the angle of entry of the fishing line into the water. A steeper, more vertical, angle of entry maintains the bait at a deeper level than a shallower, more horizontal, angle of entry. Thus, it is desirable to regulate the angle of entry of the fishing line into the water so as to control the depth of the fishing bait.
When a fish strikes the bait, the active fishing rod is typically removed from the holder in the gunwale so the fish may be "played" and reeled in by someone on the boat. The force exerted on the fishing line by the fish strike may cause the line to break if it contacts any "sharp" objects which cause a sharp bend or kink in the line. It is therefore desirable to release the fishing line from any type of depth regulation device when a fish strikes the bait to avoid breaking the fishing line.
The prior art includes a number of apparatus for holding fishing rods on a fishing boat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,774 discloses a fishing system for supporting a plurality of fishing poles in an array on a boat. The poles are spaced laterally apart from each other a distance sufficient to prevent the fishing lines from tangling while maneuvering the boat. This system utilizes a complex mechanism to extend and retract the entire fishing rod laterally outward from the side of the boat. Furthermore, the system must be mounted to the boat requiring special mounting brackets. The system also does not provide integral means for regulating the depth of the fishing bait in the water. Instead, the system utilizes a separate down-rigger apparatus to perform that function.
A device for holding or storing a plurality of fishing rods is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,579. That device utilizes conventional fishing rod holders disposed within the gunwales of a fishing boat. This device is utilized to store or hold fishing rods which are not in use. Thus, the device keeps the fishing rods and lines from becoming entangled with an active fishing rod while a fish is being landed.
Another device which prevents entanglement of fishing lines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,980. This device also utilizes standard fishing rod holders normally positioned in the gunwales of the fishing boat. This device displaces the entire fishing rod laterally outward from the side of the boat and does not provide means for regulating the height of the fishing line above the water.